Fire-escape



No. 607,l6|. Pat'nted m l2, I898. A. GONAWAY.

FIRE ESCAPE (Application filed Aug. 9, 1897.)

(No Mod el.)

wane/awn i 1f f all/22A ,rumauruo..wnsamawu n c lliarrn 'rA'rEs ALBINUS OONAIVAY, OF LAUREL, MARYLAND.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,161, dated July 12, 1898. Application filed August 9, 1897. Serial No. 647,558. (No model.)

To all zuiton it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBINUS CONAWAY, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Laurel, in the county of Prince Georges and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I'do declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. 7

My invention relates to fire-escapes, and has for its object to furnish a cheap, simple, durable, reliable, and. permanent fire-escape for connection to all kinds of buildings.

IVith this object in view my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a fire-escape constructed in accordance with my invention in position on the wall of a building. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the travelerblock with the belt attached. Fig. eis a similar view of a slightly-modified form of traveler-block, the belt being omitted; and Fig. 5 is a view of a section of the vertical column, the front plate being removed and the position of the zigzag slot or groove being indicated by dotted lines.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the different figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A is a hollow column adapted to be secured to the wall of a dwelling or other building, along side of a vertical row of openings if possible. This hollow column may be made of any snitably-strong material, the front plate being preferably made of tough iron or steel. In the front plate is formed a zigzag groove or slot B, extending from the top to the bottom of the column and preferably left open at each end.

Opposite each window or door G a branch D D D is secured to the hollow column, constructed substantiallyin the same manner as the main column A and having a straight The ends F of any or all of the branches D, i

D, and D may be hinged, so that they may be turned into the windows and be more easily operated, as hereinafter described, the end of the branch D being shown hinged in Fig. 1 to illustrate such construction.

G is what I term my traveler. It is composed of a flat plate of metal having at one end a hole H, in which a rope, hook, or chain may be secured to engage an attachment I for supporting a person, in this case shown as a belt, although a chair, bar-seat, or other desirable support may be used. Projecting from the inner face of the traveler-plate is a pair of pins J, having at their inner ends heads K.

With the belt around his body and the belt securely attached to the traveler the person endeavoring to escape slips the pins J of the traveler into the slot at either the upper end of the column or the inner end of any one of its branches and at once throws his weight upon the traveler by swinging off. The pins J will then take a zigzag course toward the earth, first in one direction and then in the other, forcing the person to drop by a stepby-step movement, being retarded at the end of each straight section of the zigzag groove, and landing safely on the earth.

If desired, a spring-bumper J may be arranged to receive the impact of the traveler at the end of each opposite short drop or movement.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a slight modification in the construction of the traveler, the two heads K of pins J being replaced by a single plate K and a spring-strip L being provided to bear against the front plate 'of the column A and act as a brake, its tension thereon being regulated by a set-screw M. By turning this screw inward and pressing plate L tightly against the front plate of the column A the person descending may stop himself at any point.

Each room in the building will be provided with one or more travelers and belts, and a small pulley may be secured to or near the top and another near the bottom of the column, as at N N, and a cord 0 passed around them, provided with a hook O, by means of which the traveler used by one person may be elevated to any desired door or window to be used by another person. I

If desired, suitable step-brackets P may be formed upon or attached to the column A, whereby a fireman or other person may ascend to any part of the building and bring Weak, sick, or overcome persons down on the tireescape.

\Vhile I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention, I do not wish to restrict myself to the exact details of construction shown and described, but hold that any slight changes or variations such as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic will clearly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A fire-escape comprising a hollow vertical column or casing secured to the building alongside of a row of windows or openings and provided with hollow arms extending laterally and upwardly therefrom to each of said openings or windows, a zigzag groove being formed in the front face of the column and consisting of a series of short grooves at opposite upward inclinations and joining each other at substantially right angles, one of such short sections of grooves being extended into and through each of the laterally-projecting arms on a straight line, substantially as described.

2. A fire-escape comprising a hollow vertical column or casing secured to the building and having in its face a zigzag groove consisting of a number of short grooves at opposite upward inclinations joined to form a continuous groove, in combination with a traveler consisting of a plate provided with means for attaching a belt or other support for a person and means adapted to occupy corresponding positions in alternate sections of the zigzag groove When placed therein,whereby as said means traverse the zigzag groove the plate will remain always in a vertical position, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described traveler for a fireescape consisting of two plates arranged parallel to each other and provided with pins connecting the plates, a spring secured between the plates, and a set-screw passing through one plate and bearing against the spring, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AL'ZINUS CON/UVA'Y.

\Vitn esses:

I. V. GoRvELL, O. M. BALL. 

